Telus sales people promoting illegal TV pirating service to entice customers, Bell alleges

BCE Inc. has accused Telus Corp. of cutting into its business by way of door-to-door sales people trained to promote and sell an illegal, unlicensed pirate TV application. Bell claims its customers and subscribers have been enticed to cancel their Bell internet and internet protocol television (IPTV) service and switch to Telus by door-to-door sales people. Bell is seeking $25 million in damages. According to Bell, the IPTV application promoted by the Telus sales people is illegal and unlicensed, and “reproduces and retransmits Canadian and international programming, including works and signals in which Bell and its affiliated programmers hold copyright.” “Telus now also seeks to profit by facilitating access to pirated services it knows are illegal rather than investing in their own legal service. This enriches Telus and correspondingly deprives those who have invested in broadband facilities and legal TV services, including Bell, of returns on their investment. There is no legal justification, or juristic reason, for Telus’ enrichment," Bell argues in documents filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and dated June 26. “Bell further pleads that Telus’ door-to-door sales representatives are trained to endorse the illegal pirated TV service and to employ these sales tactics to convert additional customers from Bell and other facilities-based providers of legitimate TV services to Telus,” alleges Bell elsewhere in the document. It is additionally seeking an injunction from the court blocking Telus from promoting or helping people to install the pirated service. Bell argues the alleged sales moves end up adding “confusion in the marketplace among customers.” It claims it has lost customers and “ongoing revenue associated with the internet, TV, and other bundled services sold to households targeted by Telus.” Bell points out in its filing that it is common for customers to bundle their internet/TV/home security/mobility services with one provider in Canada versus choosing different providers for different services. “Through these actions, Telus unjustly enriches itself at Bell’s expense, damages Bell’s goodwill, deprives content creators of rightful compensation, undermines fair competition in the telecommunications market, and contravenes the policy objectives of the Telecommunications Act, the Copyright Act, and the common law,” Bell alleges. Telus did not respond to a request for comment on the allegations Friday. None of the allegations has been tested in court. hdaley@thewirereport.ca

Telus sales people promoting illegal TV pirating service to entice customers, Bell alleges

Court |
By Hannah Daley
| June 27, 2025

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Telus sales people promoting illegal TV pirating service to entice customers, Bell alleges

Court | By Hannah Daley | June 27, 2025

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Court |
By Hannah Daley
| June 27, 2025